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Measure Appeals

In August 2016, the National Quality Forum (NQF) implemented changes to its appeals process that were initiated and approved by its Board of Directors. Central to these changes is establishment of a five-member Appeals Board that is responsible for adjudicating all submitted appeals regarding measure endorsement decisions. The Board of Directors approves the members of the Appeals Board.

NQF's Consensus Standards Approval Committee (CSAC) now makes final measurement endorsement decisions without ratification by NQF's Board of Directors. NQF’s Board, Executive Committee, and CSAC no longer participate in the appeals process for measure endorsement decisions. These changes took effect in early 2007.

The New Appeals Process

NQF standing committees—,expert panels organized by subject matter—,evaluate measures and make recommendations to the CSAC regarding measure endorsement. The standing committees evaluate measures based on the NQF Consensus Development Process (CDP) criteria. The CSAC reviews the recommendations of the standing committees and the rationale for those recommendations, then provides a final endorsement decision on a given measure. The NQF Board of Directors no longer ratifies measures.

Once the CSAC’s decisions are made public via the NQF website, a 30-day appeals period begins. Any interested party may file an appeal with the Appeals Board during the appeals period.

The Appeals Board reviews all submitted appeals.

The only measure endorsement decisions that are eligible for appeal are:

The CSAC endorses a measure that a standing committee recommends for endorsement.

The CSAC declines to endorse a measure that a standing committee recommends for endorsement.

Eligible measure endorsement decisions may only be appealed on the following grounds:

Procedural errors reasonably likely to affect the outcome of the original endorsement decision, such as a failure to follow NQF’s CDP; or

New information or evidence, unavailable at the time the CSAC made its endorsement decision, that is reasonably likely to affect the outcome of the original endorsement decision.

Once the appeals period for a measure has ended, the Appeals Board meets to review an appeal within 45 days. All Appeals Board reviews all appeals submitted to NQF for consideration.

The Appeals Board may render the following decisions:

Uphold the CSAC endorsement decision

Overturn the CSAC endorsement decision

Dismiss the appeal because it does not meet the grounds for appeal

All decisions made by the NQF Appeals Board are final.

The NQF Appeals Board’s actions and decisions regarding an appeal are publicly available on the Appeals Board section of the NQF website.